WCU aims to keep momentum going against ESU

WEST GOSHEN – On the road against the sixth-ranked team in the nation, West Chester squandered a two-touchdown lead with a turnover-filled third quarter last weekend at California (Pa.).

But the Golden Rams didn’t collapse or panic. They simply scored 10 straight points in a clutch four-minute span of the final period to complete a 37-34 victory that head coach Bill Zwaan called the biggest in the last three years.

It was also a perfect illustration of just how far this program’s come from the depths of the previous two campaigns. At 4-1, a victory today at East Stroudsburg (1:05 p.m., WCHE AM1520) would surpass the win total for the entire 2010 season and equal last year’s output

“When Cal tied us in the third quarter, it was a completely different attitude on the sidelines,” Zwaan pointed out. “The approach was, ‘we are going to win this football game,’ and that, obviously, hasn’t been the approach the last couple years.”

Advertisement

How different are things in 2012? Don’t forget, this is a squad that – less than a year ago – coughed up the largest lead in Division II history at home against arch rival Bloomsburg. Now, WCU is ranked 24th nationally, has yet to lose to a Division II opponent, and is looking to go 3-0 in the PSAC East with three straight home games up next.

“Teams we’ve had in the past, that game would have got to 27-27 and we would have caved,” admitted junior defensive tackle Anthony McCloskey. “But everybody was so calm on the sidelines. We felt confident we were going to get that ‘W’ no matter what.

“We are older now and we have great leadership on this team. It just feels different. We practice different and we are definitely playing different.”

All true, of course. It doesn’t, however, guarantee anything moving forward. A clunker today against the offensively explosive, but defensively challenged, Warriors (1-1, 2-2) could put a serious damper on what has been a feel-year season so far.

“I know our guys are still thinking about Cal because it was such a big win,” Zwaan said. “Part of my job is to get them focused.

“It was a great effort and everybody did a nice job, but in order for us to accomplish our goals, we have to keep getting better. We can’t level off. But, you know, we are dealing with kids, and sometimes these things don’t sink in.”

It was undoubtedly a marquee victory – the program’s fourth in a row. But as a result, this team is now under more scrutiny and expectations have been heightened.

“We aren’t under the radar anymore,” Zwaan agreed. “We’ve kind of jumped into the spotlight, and you expect opponents to be shooting for you if you’re in a good program. That’s where we want to be, but we haven’t been there in a couple years, so it will be interesting to see how we react to all this.”

The good news is that ESU’s only wins have come against Cheyney and Lock Haven, who are a combined 1-9 this season. And West Chester has won eight of the last nine meetings. The bad news is that these rivals have a long history of close, high-scoring shootouts, including a too-close-for-comfort 35-31 WCU win in its last visit to Eiler-Martin Stadium in 2010.

“They have a good enough offensive scheme and a couple good enough receivers, that on any one play they could break it for a touchdown,” Zwaan acknowledged. “Things can change fast because they score quickly.”

Freshman quarterback Matt Soltes was impressive in his first career start on Sept. 29th at Clarion. He has a talented, deep corps of receivers, including Dusty Reed, who caught eight passes for 105 yards and a TD last year against the Rams. And tailbacks Kendrick Williams and Eric Derry split time and combine to average 100-plus yards on the ground.

“They love to throw the ball so we need to cause some turnovers and make some plays like we’ve been doing,” McCloskey said. “If that happens, we’ll be fine.

“Beating Cal was huge. We beat a ranked team and that’s awesome and everything, but it’s in the past. All of our attention in on East Stroudsburg.”

West Chester ranks 20th nationally in turnover margin, and the defense is much improved from a year ago. But the Warriors gain 6.89 yards per play, and are second in Division II averaging nearly 18 yards per reception.

“Our goal is go out every series and keep battling,” Zwaan said. “Offensively, we’d like to eat the clock so we keep their offense off the field. We want to control the football and control the game if we can, so we are going to have to run the ball.”

Unlike previous years, the Rams are well equipped to hurt opponents on the ground as well as through the air. Junior runner Rondell White is 13th in the nation, averaging 132.6 rushing yards a contest.

But this will be WCU’s third consecutive road game, which is also concern.

“It’s a grind,” Zwaan said. “That’s why I am looking forward to getting past this third game, so then we get three straight home games.”

The Rams will almost certainly lean on White and the running game because the receivers are a bit banged up right now. It’s possible that West Chester could be without starting wideouts Tim Keyser and LaRonn Lee. Keyser’s missed the last two games with a knee sprain, but is reportedly getting closer to getting back in the lineup. Lee is doubtful with a nagging shoulder injury.

And the defense’s No. 2 tackler, linebacker Mike Labor, is questionable with a twisted ankle.

“They all want to play badly and they are doing what they have to do, but sometimes it takes a day or two more than we’ve got,” Zwaan said.